Autumnfest celebrates 35 years Oct. 12 with a Doo Wop Spectacular team-up of The Legendary Teenagers, The Chiffons, and Dicky Doo and The Don'ts featuring Gerry Granahan performing with the Coast-to-Coast band Emceed by Todd Baptista.
The show will run from 6-9 p.m. followed by a meet and greet with all the performers to allow the public a chance for autographs.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame members, the Legendary Teenagers will perform with original members Herman Santiago and Jimmy Merchant. Formed in Harlem, New York, the original quintet, which featured the late Frankie Lymon, rocketed to international stardom as high school students with “Why Do Fools Fall in Love?”, “I Want You To Be My Girl” and “I Promise To Remember” in 1956. The group continues to perform their high-energy show worldwide, with doo-wop pioneer Timothy “Tiny Tim and the Hits” Wilson serving as their lead singer today.
The Chiffons Formed in 1960 by teenage classmates at James Monroe High School in the Bronx, New York, the Chiffons scored a string of successful rock'n'roll hits in the early 1960s that epitomized the girl group sound. With strong harmonies, catchy melodies and soulful lead vocals, the Chiffons rocketed up the charts with "He's So Fine", "One Fine Day", "Sweet Talkin' Guy", and "I Have A Boyfriend". The group continues to perform worldwide with their original lead singer, Judy Craig Mann.
Singer-songwriter-producer Gerry Granahan, a Pennsylvania native and longtime resident of East Greenwich, RI, scored national hits in the early rock'n'roll era with “Click Clack” under the Dicky Doo and the Dont's moniker, “No Chemise, Please” under his own name, and “You Were Mine”, with friend Ritchie Adams, as the Fireflies. Granahan also produced hits by artists including the Angels, James Ray, Patty Duke, and Jay and the Americans and was inducted into the Rhode Island Pop Music Hall of Fame in 2011.
Todd Baptista has hosted and co-produced a series of successful concerts featuring Rock and Roll Hall of Famers at various venues in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New York. Todd also has authored four books detailing the early years of doo-wop and rock ’n’ roll pioneers. In all, the performers combine for a night of great hits having produced a dozen top 40 hits.
Autumnfest is a non-profit celebration taking place in World War II Memorial State Park in Woonsocket, RI Columbus Day weekend providing the public with a multi day festival with free admission and free parking. For more information on Autumnfest, go to Autumnfest.org.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
